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Cell Dec 2021This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian for "explaining the molecular basis for sensing heat, cold and...
This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian for "explaining the molecular basis for sensing heat, cold and mechanical force." Their findings capped off a scientific quest to identify the mechanisms within the somatosensory system mediating the detection of internal and external environments.
Topics: Animals; Biomechanical Phenomena; Capsaicin; Humans; Ion Channels; Nobel Prize; Sensation; Touch
PubMed: 34942094
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.11.034 -
Current Opinion in Neurobiology Aug 2009
Topics: Animals; Humans; Neural Pathways; Sensation; Somatosensory Cortex
PubMed: 19717297
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2009.08.002 -
Current Opinion in Neurobiology Apr 2017Multisensory integration is a neural process by which signals from two or more distinct sensory channels are simultaneously processed to form a more coherent... (Review)
Review
Multisensory integration is a neural process by which signals from two or more distinct sensory channels are simultaneously processed to form a more coherent representation of the environment. Multisensory integration, especially when combined with a survey of internal states, provides selective advantages for animals navigating complex environments. Despite appreciation of the importance of multisensory integration in behavior, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent work looking at how Caenorhabditis elegans makes multisensory decisions has yielded mechanistic insights into how a relatively simple and well-defined nervous system employs circuit motifs of defined features, synaptic signals and extrasynaptic neurotransmission, as well as neuromodulators in processing and integrating multiple sensory inputs to generate flexible and adaptive behavioral outputs.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Caenorhabditis elegans; Sensation; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 28273525
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.01.005 -
Chemical Senses May 2019Mouthfeel refers to the physical or textural sensations in the mouth caused by foods and beverages that are essential to the acceptability of many edible products. The... (Review)
Review
Mouthfeel refers to the physical or textural sensations in the mouth caused by foods and beverages that are essential to the acceptability of many edible products. The sensory subqualities contributing to mouthfeel are often chemogenic in nature and include heat, burning, cooling, tingling, and numbing. These "chemesthetic" sensations are a result of the chemical activation of receptors that are associated with nerve fibers mediating pain and mechanotransduction. Each of these chemesthetic sensations in the oral cavity are transduced in the nervous system by a combination of different molecular channels/receptors expressed on trigeminal nerve fibers that innervate the mouth and tongue. The molecular profile of these channels and receptors involved in mouthfeel include many transient receptor potential channels, proton-sensitive ion channels, and potassium channels to name a few. During the last several years, studies using molecular and physiological approaches have significantly expanded and enhanced our understanding of the neurobiological basis for these chemesthetic sensations. The purpose of the current review is to integrate older and newer studies to present a comprehensive picture of the channels and receptors involved in mouthfeel. We highlight that there still continue to be important gaps in our overall knowledge on flavor integration and perception involving chemesthetic sensations, and these gaps will continue to drive future research direction and future investigation.
Topics: Humans; Mouth; Receptors, Odorant; Sensation; Taste; Trigeminal Nerve
PubMed: 31039245
DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjz016 -
Development (Cambridge, England) Nov 2017The sensation of touch is mediated by mechanosensory neurons that are embedded in skin and relay signals from the periphery to the central nervous system. During... (Review)
Review
The sensation of touch is mediated by mechanosensory neurons that are embedded in skin and relay signals from the periphery to the central nervous system. During embryogenesis, axons elongate from these neurons to make contact with the developing skin. Concurrently, the epithelium of skin transforms from a homogeneous tissue into a heterogeneous organ that is made up of distinct layers and microdomains. Throughout this process, each neuronal terminal must form connections with an appropriate skin region to serve its function. This Review presents current knowledge of the development of the sensory microdomains in mammalian skin and the mechanosensory neurons that innervate them.
Topics: Animals; Body Patterning; Humans; Mechanoreceptors; Neurons; Sensation; Skin; Touch
PubMed: 29138290
DOI: 10.1242/dev.120402 -
Current Biology : CB May 2012
Topics: Animals; Consciousness; Humans; Perception; Sensation
PubMed: 22625852
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2012.03.033 -
Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on... 2014Our cognitive abilities can only be expressed on the world through our actions. Here we review the computations underlying the way that the sensorimotor system converts... (Review)
Review
Our cognitive abilities can only be expressed on the world through our actions. Here we review the computations underlying the way that the sensorimotor system converts both low-level sensory signals and high-level decisions into action, focusing on the behavioral evidence for the theoretical frameworks. We review recent work that determines how motor memories underlying sensorimotor learning are activated and protected from interference, the role of Bayesian decision theory in sensorimotor control including sources of suboptimality, the role of risk sensitivity in guiding action, and how rapid motor responses may underlie the robustness of the motor system to the vagaries of the world.
Topics: Decision Making; Humans; Learning; Motor Activity; Sensation; User-Computer Interface
PubMed: 25851507
DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2014.79.024919 -
Developmental Medicine and Child... Mar 2016Infants develop skills through a coupling between their sensory and motor systems. Newborn infants must interpret sensory information and use it to modify movements and... (Review)
Review
Infants develop skills through a coupling between their sensory and motor systems. Newborn infants must interpret sensory information and use it to modify movements and organize the postural control system based on the task demands. This paper starts with a brief review of evidence on the use of sensory information in the first months of life, and describes the importance of movement variability and postural control in infancy. This introduction is followed by a review of the evidence for the interactions between the sensory, motor, and postural control systems in typically development infants. The paper highlights the ability of young infants to use sensory information to modify motor behaviors and learn from their experiences. Last, the paper highlights evidence of atypical use of sensory, motor, and postural control in the first months of life in infants who were born preterm, with neonatal brain injury or later diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP).
Topics: Child Development; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Motor Activity; Postural Balance; Sensation
PubMed: 27027603
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.13045 -
The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine Mar 2018Modern lifestyles are disrupting the human senses-primarily sight, sound, and smell. Noise-induced hearing loss has been noted for centuries and increasing over time... (Review)
Review
Modern lifestyles are disrupting the human senses-primarily sight, sound, and smell. Noise-induced hearing loss has been noted for centuries and increasing over time following the industrial era. From the mid-20 century, the numbers of individuals with myopia (the leading visual impairment) have been increasing globally. Historical evidence for olfactory dysfunction is not known but its etiological links to pollution suggest it increased following industrialization. Clinical interventions for sight and sound loss include preventative and corrective measures but none exist for olfactory dysfunction. Further, olfactory loss is linked to multiple negative health outcomes across physical, mental, and social domains. Due to the global rates of exposure to pollution, olfaction is a global health concern. The environmental injustice inherent in human society (locally and globally) results in inequitable risk for sensory loss by the most vulnerable populations and creates an even deeper gradient in health disparity. Situated within the environmental justice and health disparity literature, this paper introduces the term to describe variation in sensory environments based on socio-economic status (which is often entwined with race and education). A key challenge to risk management is awareness of sensory inequity experienced by vulnerable populations and incorporating that awareness into basic research and policy.
Topics: Environment; Healthcare Disparities; Humans; Life Style; Models, Biological; Sensation; Smell
PubMed: 29599658
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Integrative Neuroscience Nov 2022
Topics: Cognition; Sensation
PubMed: 36722250
DOI: 10.31083/j.jin2201003